368 The Vicar of Winkfield Pear. 



though not valuable for dessert. Dr. Sylvester said it was good for 

 cooking. The President said it was a productive and valuable pear, of 

 moderate quality ; valuable for baking." 



Also at the same society in 1864, we make the subjoined extract: 

 " Field said his family cooked no other pear, and, when ripe, ate no 

 other ; Beadle, it was useless and worthless with him. Thomas said in 

 warm autumns it was pretty good, not otherwise. Downing never saw 

 it fit to eat, but the best of all cooking pears. Hovey said it was not 

 first rate, but desirable. Sold well in market." 



One prominent reason, it may be presumed, why the Vicar with 

 some cultivators gives so poor satisfaction, is the want of full ripening, 

 or proper maturity on the tree. This may be the case in a wet season, 

 or where the tree is in a low or cold position, or where the soil is so 

 rich and the gi^owth so rapid and so late as to preclude the proper time, 

 after growth is checked, for the fruit to be so influenced or developed 

 before picking as to insure goodness at the time of ripening in mid- 

 winter. With a medium rich, dry soil, and a sunny position, I think 

 there can be but few instances of failure (where the trees are of fair age 

 and the seasons not very wet) in making this pear valuable for the 

 table. Although the Vicar is a splendid grower, it will not, like some 

 pears, give good quality in small specimens ; and hence it must have 

 a deep soil, so as to bring up the fruit to good size, for all others are 

 generally worthless. Thinning the fruit will also tend to a desirable 

 development. 



The Vicar should usually be left hanging till the middle of October, 

 or even later, till the severe frosts begin to threaten, and placed in 

 boxes or barrels in a good cellar, or packed in or covered with straw ; 

 and by January they will be fit to eat. If wanted sooner, place them 

 in a warm closet or room for ten or fifteen days. In fact, it will im- 

 prove them always to do so. 



My own Vicars have been excellent — nearly as good as the Duchesse. 

 Undoubtedly warm, dry seasons have had something to do with this, 

 although the tree on which they grow is in a warm, deep soil, and 

 well exposed to the sun. I consider this pear very valuable (though I 

 have thought differently) from the fact of its vigorous growth, its late 

 keeping, — never rotting at^ the core, — its delicate and peculiar aroma, 

 together with its commendations above, to say nothing of its excellent 

 cooking qualities. 



